MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01C6421A.FFED4300"
This document is a Single File Web Page, also known as a Web Archive file. If you are seeing this message, your browser or editor doesn't support Web Archive files. Please download a browser that supports Web Archive, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.
------=_NextPart_01C6421A.FFED4300
Content-Location: file:///C:/E58B3227/BN_fairhousing.htm
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"

City & Region

City & Region

=

Fair housing law gains momentum for passage

By
BRIAN MEYER

News
Staff Reporter

2/25/2006

A renewed push to pass Buffalo's first fair housing law =
is
gaining momentum, a move that would prevent discrimination based on how
applicants earn their incomes.

For example, landlords could not reject prospective tena=
nts
based solely on whether they receive public assistance, nor could they turn
them down for any other lawful means of generating income. The plan, which =
is
being reviewed by the Common Council, also would make it illegal for landlo=
rds
to discriminate against transsexuals.

Owner-occupied two-family homes would likely be exempt f=
rom
the proposed law. Council members who support the exemption note that state
laws already give more latitude to people who live in their doubles. There =
has
also been discussion about possibly exempting owner-occupied three-unit
dwellings, a move that would face opposition from some fair housing advocat=
es.

The fight for a fair housing law in Buffalo began in 196=
8.
The most recent attempts occurred in the 1980s, and both were derailed by
vetoes from then-Mayor James D. Griffin.

State and federal laws already provide many protections
against many forms of discrimination. But Masten Council Member Antoine M.
Thompson, the bill's sponsor, said federal housing officials have been prod=
ding
the city to pass its own law.

Scott W. Gehl, executive director of Housing Opportuniti=
es
Made Equal, said passage of a fair housing law is long overdue, given Buffa=
lo's
reputation for being one of the most segregated communities in the nation b=
ased
on 2000 census data.

Gehl said one key distinction between the proposed law a=
nd
existing state or federal protections involves the clause about source of
income. While landlords could consider factors such as the ability to pay or
people's track records as tenants, they could not refuse to rent simply bec=
ause
applicants are on welfare.

"We've found many instances in which source of inco=
me
has been used as subterfuge to [deny tenancy] to people based on their race,
marital status or status of children in their families," said Gehl, who
met with Council members Wednesday.

He estimated that more than 10 percent of the thousands =
of
complaints his agency has received involve claims of discrimination based on
source of income.

The city law also would expand housing protections to
transsexuals.

Council members heard testimony from Camille Hopkins, the
first city employee to openly transition from male to female in the workpla=
ce
after having a sex change operation. Hopkins claims she was evicted from an
apartment several years ago because of her transgender status. As the found=
er
of a transgender support group, she said many others have reported similar
incidents.

"All they want is safe and secure housing, but [the=
y]
live in constant fear of losing it," Hopkins said of transsexuals.

Legislation Committee Chairman Richard A. Fontana said t=
he
Council will likely vote on the fair housing law in March.